The subject invention relates to the mechanically driven cooling means for internal combustion engines for automobiles and other vehicles, and in particular relates to mechanically driven fan belts used on such vehicles for driving the water pump during operation of the vehicle.
In general, in most automobiles or other similar vehicles, a closed loop fan belt is utilized to drive two working elements of essential importance to the operation of the vehicle, namely the water pump and the generator. The function of the water pump, as is well-known, is to pump water through the cooling system of the engine in order to prevent the engine from overheating while operating. The function of the generator is to produce the requisite electricity for generating sparking in the spark plugs for ignition purposes and further drive auxiliary vehicular devices.
All of these foregoing described functions are critical to the proper operation of a motor-driven vehicle; and should the installed fan belt break during operation, the resultant loss of these vital functions imperil the continued safe operation of the engine. From a comparative viewpoint and most acutely, however, is the potential loss of a water pump for cooling the engine. From a safety perspective, in situations where the generator is lost, a battery already minimally charged should produce sufficient electrical current for spark generation in ignition for temporary driving interval. On the other hand, if the water pump becomes inoperative for any reason, including the loss of motive power through a fan belt failure, such loss is much more critical than loss of the generator. The engine in such latter circumstances cannot operate for any significant periods without the critical assistance of the indirect cooling functions of a driven fan to project air currents over the engine in conjunction with the circulatory movements of water in the water cooling system. In such cases the engine can overheat in a matter of a few miles, with resultant permanent damage to vital engine parts, and ultimately engine failure.
Thus, as can be seen, when a vehicle loses a fan belt, the potential problems are extremely critical. As a consequence, one should be prepared under emergency circumstances to replace a broken fan belt, particularly on isolated stretches of road where repair stations are long distance away from the disabled vehicle. The obvious consequential alternatives in such a situation are limited indeed, and having at hand a replacement belt is one possible alternative. In this regard, there are no known inventions directed to this problem of emergency fan belt replacement under such exigent circumstances.
In view of the foregoing, it is a purpose of the subject invention to provide a device which can be used as an emergency replacement for fan belts. The following objects of the subject invention are therefore directed accordingly.